This invention relates to product cushioning devices for use in packaging shock sensitive products. In particular, the invention relates to re-usable or recyclable product cushioning devices which are made from plastics material, and which are particularly intended for use with shock sensitive products such as computers and computer componentsxe2x80x94particularly hard drives, CD and DVD drives, and the like. The configuration of cushioning devices in keeping with the present invention is particularly as a top or bottom tray, or an end cap. Product cushioning structures in keeping with the present invention comprise unitary structures which may be molded from a plastic material, using a variety of molding techniques.
The use of product cushioning devices for shock sensitive products has been known for many years. Typically, cushioning for shock sensitive devices comprises a number of different approaches, each of which may have its own particular advantages and/or disadvantages.
For example, it has been known for many years to wrap shock sensitive or delicate devices or merchandise in tissue paper, and to cushion the products with loosely balled tissue paper. Another use of paper has been shredded paper, or excelsior. A more elegant approach has been to use bubble-pack, which comprises a sheet material having a plurality of contained bubbles of air formed therein. Another approach which has been used for many years has been the use of a plurality of discrete molded foamed polystyrene pellets, sometimes referred to as xe2x80x9cpeanutsxe2x80x9d in the industry, to fill around a product in a container.
As the requirement for better packaging and cushioning became more demanding, for example with the introduction to the market of complicated and expensive electronics devices such as computer monitors, and more particularly notebook computers, printed circuit boards, and the like, the requirement arose for more sophisticated and better shock absorbing cushioning devices. Standards were developed for acceptance of cushioning devices, including drop tests and the like, to determine if such devices would protect the shock sensitive product from shock acceleration greater than the product""s fragility levelxe2x80x94typically, from 20 g""s to 100 g""s.
This has given rise to the use of such products as honeycomb cardboard, and particularly foamed polystyrene, foamed polyurethane, foamed polypropylene, or foamed polyethylene. Flexible foam devices are well known for use as corner pieces or edge pieces. Likewise, foamed polystyrene productsxe2x80x94which are more rigidxe2x80x94are also well known for use as corner pieces or end caps; and very often, they are product specific in that they are particularly molded having a specific configuration for use with a particular product.
In general, however, flexible foam cushioning devices, and foamed polystyrene cushioning devices, are not recyclable. There are several reasons for that condition: The first is that flexible foam cushioning devices, and polystyrene cushioning devices, tend to be quite bulky, and are usually discarded with the packaging container in which the product has been shipped. There are very few specific recycling depots that are set up for either flexible foam or especially polystyrene cushioning devices; and, in any event, foamed polystyrene and foamed polyurethane cannot generally be recycled. Its re-usability may be provided for, particularly as general corner pieces, if they remain intact, or as product specific end caps; but, unless such foamed polystyrene cushioning devices are being used in a closed shipping system, they will not be recovered for re-use. Moreover, foamed polystyrene cushioning devices tend to be very frangible, and do not maintain their integrity very well once they have been used and removed from the packaging container in which they are shipped.
More elegant cushioning devices have more recently entered the market, comprising different types of blow-molded or other plastics shell products, most of which are closed structures which are filled with air or other gas. Some such structures are inflatable, some are closed, and some may be open to the atmosphere but are formed of a relatively rigid material. All such products are generally formed from high density polyethylene, which may be recycled because it is easily chopped up and made into further products, or such products may be re-usable if they are employed in a closed delivery and recovery system. Low density polyethylene may also be found in products such as those described immediately above, although its use is quite limited at the present time.
Some manufacturers of computer components such as hard drives, in particular, have an intent to ship accessories together with hard drives, in the same package, so that the accessories are co-packaged with the hard drive. The same holds true, particularly, for CD and DVD devices. The accessories will very often include such as a floppy disk or a CD, a mounting bracket, appropriate cables, and the like.
It is often desirable to package such accessories as those referred to above with the device with which they are associated, so as not to get lost or separated from the device. Indeed, distributors of such devices, and the like, may wish to include even further accessories such as additional software, special mounting brackets for their computer boxes, and the like, together with the device being shipped and protected by the protective packaging structures of the present invention.
Typically, additional accessories of the sort referred to herein, and others, are shipped in an additional corrugated cardboard box, or with a corrugated cardboard divider, or they are packaged with foam beads, or with an additional specially formed foam end cap, and the like. However, such packaging and shipping requires additional bulk of the shipping container within which the shock sensitive device is being shipped, they require additional material such as corrugated cardboard boxes or dividers, or foam, and they require additional shrink wrapping materials and the like.
Thus, a purpose of the present invention is to provide protection for shock sensitive devices without employing additional packaging material. In the event that the shock sensitive device is dropped or mishandled, use of the present invention precludes damage to the shock sensitive device such as might happen due to the impact of an accessory having substantial mass, for example a power cord or an instruction bookxe2x80x94or an accessory might otherwise pierce a corrugated cardboard dividerxe2x80x94such as a mounting bracketxe2x80x94and cause damage by scratching or otherwise damaging the case or exposed components on printed circuit boards which are often found at one side of shock sensitive devices such as hard drives and the like.
Moreover, all embodiments of the present invention, as described in greater detail hereafter, will provide cushioning and shock force absorption and/or transmission, and thus shock absorbing protection, for whatever shock sensitive product they are being used with, in three mutually perpendicular directions or along three mutually perpendicular axes for which shock absorption protection is required- vertical, front-to-back and side-to-side.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,874,826 issued to MATTHEWS et al is directed to a shock and vibration isolation device which, however, is not intended for being incorporated in a rectilinear container. Rather, this device is a resilient and inflatable jacket comprising a plurality of chambers, made of a rubberized fabric which is adapted to hold a gas under pressure, and which will be wrapped around a shock sensitive device such as a guided missile so as to provide a shock and vibration isolation container therefor.
GOBAN U.S. Pat. No. 3,294,223 teaches a molded plastic corner piece having the configuration of a triangular polyhedron which is either rounded or flattened at its apex. The purpose of the corner support is to entrap air between the molded plastic corner piece and the corner of the carton into which it is placed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,835 issued to PIVERT et al. teaches inflatable cushion packaging wherein a plurality of chambers are inflated so as to provide cushioning which will absorb shock and thereby protect a shock sensitive product located in the centre of the container. The amount to which the balloon-like chambers may be inflated, and therefore their hardness, may be controlled.
FOOS et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,543 teaches a packaging structure which includes both a platform portion and a sidewall portion, wherein the sidewall portion forms an enclosure around the platform portion. Essentially, this product is an end cap or platform. The sidewall has both inner and outer walls which are joined by a bridge section, and the inboard wall is relatively shorter than the outboard wall such that the platform portion holds the fragile article at a specific distance above the lower edge of the outboard wall. Shock absorbing formationsxe2x80x94typically, notchesxe2x80x94are formed in the bridge portion of the sidewall. These notches have a degree of elasticity such that, when the packaging structure is loaded and then unloaded, or shocked and then unloaded, the notch will return to its original shape and can absorb multiple loads without deteriorating. However, in order for the elasticity to exist, a material with a high degree of stiffness must be usedxe2x80x94typically, that material is high density polyethylene. The patent requires that the inboard wall is shorter than the outboard wall.
Another patent issued to Foos et al. is U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,232. This patent also teaches a sidewall structure which forms an enclosure around a platform portion. However, the teachings of this patent also address the issue of light shock loads that may not deform or compress the shock load formationsxe2x80x94the notches that are discussed in the previous Foos et al. patent. Here, the concept of openings which provide for collapsibility and allow for the release of compressed air beneath the package when the package is subject to shock loading, is introduced. These collapsible openings may be located in the platform at various locations, and may have a variety of shapes. Still, like the other Foos et al. patent, the teaching is directed to the use of inboard and outboard walls as well as the use of the shock formations (the notches) that have an elastic characteristic.
MOREN et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,976 teaches a structure which has side flanges that are adapted to contact all sides of an end portion of a fragile article, and is thus configured as an end cap. There are a number of protrusions disposed throughout the sidewalls to support the article. There is also a notch provided in the side wall as a means to absorb shock loads. The end cap of this patent is also provided with at least one crush button for absorbing shocks applied along the longitudinal length of the fragile article.
Two related patents issued to DICKIE et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,626,229 and 5,628,402 each are directed to a gas-containing product supporting structure which takes the form of a plastic bladder shaped on one side to provide a cavity having internal dimensions which match the external dimensions of the product to be protected, and shaped on its other side to have external dimensions which match the internal dimensions of the shipping container into which it is placed. The product is semi-rigid and self-supporting, monolithic, and gas-containing and may take the form of a corner piece or an end piece or tray for the product to be protected. The semi-rigid and self-supporting gas-containing bladder will retain its shape irrespective of whether it is sealed or open to the ambient surroundings; and will generally comprise a plurality of chambers in the interior of the product supporting structure with gas communication between the chambers so that the gas that is within the structure may flow from one chamber to another during shock loading circumstances of operation.
AZELTON et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,796 teaches a unitary spring system end cap packaging unit. Here, the structure includes an inner wall, an outer wall, and a spring system disposed between them. The spring system includes at least one flexible harmonic bellows which forms a flexible ridge that has an arcuate shape along the length of the sidewall structure. A cushioning space exists between the edge of the inner sidewall and the edge of the outer sidewall. Dimples may be provided on the inner surfaces of the sidewall to allow a friction fit of the end cap to the product over which it will be placed. The arcuate harmonic bellows form flexible ridges that are elastic in nature; and each bellows of the spring system operates independently when a shock load is applied.
A co-pending United States Patent application in the name of the inventor herein, Ser. No. 09/286,843, filed Apr. 6, 1999, teaches a cushioning device which has a molded post as an integral part thereof. The post is designed to extend into an intersecting corner between two perpendicular packaging container sides, or into the corner formed by three mutually perpendicular packaging container sides. A product supporting surface is spaced away from a related packaging container side by a container contacting flange and a curved ridge. In a shock loading situation, the curved ridge will at least temporarily be further curved away from the post, and the product supporting surface will at least temporarily move closer to it""s related packaging container side.
Two additional co-pending applications in the name of the present inventor are Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 2372480 filed Feb. 15, 2002 which particularly teaches protective packaging enclosures which are formed as a clamshell, into which shock sensitive devices such as hard drives, CD and DVD drives, motherboards, etc., can be placed; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/490,848 filed Jan. 24, 2000, which teaches unitary product cushioning structures which may have a variety of configurations such as end caps, edge pieces, trays, and the like. The latter application provides shock absorption support for shock sensitive products in at least two of three mutually perpendicular directions, typically in all three, by the provision of an outer container contacting wall at each side which is intended to contact an outer packaging container.
Certain features of the latter US patent application are also found in the present application. However, the configuration of protective packaging structures in keeping with the present invention provides for a ribbed product supporting platform, and a void beneath the product supporting platform which is of sufficient volume to enclose co-packaged accessories, all of which are described and greater detail hereafter.
The present invention provides unitary product cushioning structures whose principal purpose is to support shock sensitive products in their respective outer packaging containers, as well as to permit co-packaged accessories to be placed also in the same outer packaging container together with the respective shock sensitive product. The present invention provides that the unitary product cushioning structures are formed of a moldable resilient plastics material.
The unitary product cushioning structure is adapted to provide shock absorption protection for a shock sensitive product during shock loading conditions in three mutually perpendicular directions.
Moreover, the unitary product cushioning structure of the present invention is further adapted to provide impact protection for a shock sensitive product from co-packaged accessories for that shock sensitive product, during shock loading conditions.
To that end, therefore, the unitary product cushioning structure comprises the following elements:
There are at least two pairs of outer container contacting walls which are arranged in mutually perpendicular orientations for providing contact with an outer packaging container in the same two mutually perpendicular directions as the mutually perpendicular orientations of the outer container contacting walls.
There is at least one flexible shock absorbing spring transition section formed inwardly of each of the outer container contacting walls. Each flexible shock absorbing spring transition section has an outer surface.
There is also a product supporting region having at least a pair of product contacting wall corner structures.
The product supporting region further comprises a product supporting platform which is arranged tp provide support in a mutually perpendicular orientation to the orientations of each of the outer container contacting walls.
Each of the wall corner structures has a pair of product contacting walls in mutually perpendicular orientation to the product supporting platform, a pair of outer product supporting region defining walls, and an upper ridge therebetween.
Each of the flexible shock absorbing spring transitions sections is formed inwardly of the respective outer container contacting wall with which it is associated, and outwardly of the outer product supporting region defining walls.
Each respective inner product contacting wall is adapted to provide shock absorption support for a product during shock loading conditions in a respective first or second one of the three mutually perpendicular directions.
The product supporting platform is adapted to provide shock absorption support for a product during shock loading conditions in a direction perpendicular thereto, and thus perpendicular to the first or second ones of the three mutually perpendicular directions. Accordingly, shock absorption protection is provided for a shock sensitive product during shock loading conditions, in three mutually perpendicular directions.
The product supporting platform has a plurality of ribs formed therein, each extending perpendicularly in a direction away from the product supporting platform to a lower extent limit.
Each of the outer container contacting walls has a bottom edge which provides an outer packaging container contacting surface to contact a surface of an outer packaging container which is in a plane that is mutually perpendicular to the planes of the pairs of inner product contacting walls.
The vertical distance between the plane of the bottom edges and the plane of the lower extent limit is at least as great as the thickness of any accessory for a shock sensitive product to be supported by the product supporting platform.
Thus, a void is defined between the lower extent of each of the plurality of ribs and the plane of the bottom edges, and between the flexible shock absorber spring transitions sections associated with the outer container contacting walls.
Accordingly, an accessory may be co-packaged with a related shock sensitive product by being placed within the void.
Typically, the at least a pair of product contacting wall corner structures are arranged so as to be diagonally opposed one to another.
Typically, the unitary product cushioning support structure of-the present invention may also be formed so as to have at least one flexible joint that surrounds the product supporting platform.
Another provision of the present invention is that at least one of the flexible shock absorbing spring transitions sections associated with each of the at least one of the least two pairs of outer container contacting walls made be formed in at least two portions. If so, each portion is separated from the other by a stiffening rib which extends inwardly from the respective outer container contacting wall towards the product supporting platform.
Also, typically each flexible shock absorbing spring section is curved, with the direction of the curve being inwardly and away from the respective outer container contacting wall.
In general, unitary product cushioning structures in keeping with the present invention are thermoformed from sheet plastics material. Thus, the compression strength of the molded unitary structure, and thereby its ability to withstand the shock forces, will vary as a function of the thickness of the thermoformed sheet plastics material from which the molded unitary product cushioning support structure has been thermoformed.
Still further, the compression strength of a molded unitary product cushioning structure in keeping with the present invention, thereby its ability to withstand shock forces, will vary as a function of the width and depth of each flexible shock absorbing spring transition section formed in the molded unitary product cushioning structure.